"Flash Drive"

Although sixteen year old LUKE MORGAN tries to escape into another world with his video games, computer and cellphone, escape from bullies is not entirely possible thanks to today’s technology. The athletic jocks who bully him at school also do it on the Internet. And Luke also has a father who insists he follow in his athletic footsteps in spite of Luke’s lack of athletic skills.

It seems like life cannot get any worse for him, but it does when his father is killed by ROY BALLINGER an unsavory business associate. Roy’s latest venture is a kidnapping of a special-ops unit which has been caught on a flash drive that has been hidden inside the only trophy Luke has ever won. Although Luke’s father got involved in the import and distribution of counterfeit goods to save his business, he never agreed to people being kidnapped and wants out. His murder is set up to make it look like he was involved with a drug cartel. As a result, it appears that all of his assets including his home and business will be subject to asset forfeiture.

Luke has only one living relative from his father’s side of the family. He has an uncle named ISAAC MORGAN who has an achondroplasia form of dwarfism. Luke moves in with Isaac, his lifetime friend JOE JOHNSON, and a bloodhound named Rosie. Rosie’s first interaction with Luke is the beginning of a major change in his life. The love in the home and the sharing of their lives, their music, and their faith with Luke turns his life in a new direction.

However, his old life is about to catch up him when he discovers the hidden flashdrive and meets the person responsible for his father’s death. Luke finds himself in a position to not only save the kidnapped military personnel but also put away those responsible for his father’s death. The combination of Luke’s delaying tactic and Rosie’s search and rescue abilities save not only Luke’s life but the kidnapped military personnel as well.

Luke’s story is one about inner conflict and outer conflicts. The inner conflict is his doubt in a God instilled in him by his father’s lack of faith and in Luke’s mind affirmed by things that have happened to Luke (bullying, mom and father’s death) versus the Christian beliefs of his uncle and friend. He struggles with faith and what to believe. The outer conflicts involve the bullying at first but that evolves into the ultimate conflict when Luke crosses paths with his father’s killer.